Commonwealth Games 2018: South Africans with world leading times

The best of the best are ready to make history.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 13: Caster Semenya of South Africa celebrates winning gold in the Women's 800 Metres final during day ten of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 13, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

The Commonwealth Games 2018 are all set to kick off in Australia. Heading into the Gold Coast sporting extravaganza, South Africa look to be in a rather enviable position.

Things are looking very healthy in the track department. We have a total of five athletes who have set the fastest times in their disciplines this year, plus a couple under the radar that can really spring a surprise Down Under.

With that, we take a look at our brightest hopes for the Commonwealth Games. Cross your fingers and hold your thumbs, because our finest sportsmen and women are ready to do the business.

Antonio Alkana: Men’s 110m hurdles

Alkana’s 28th birthday is coming up on 12 April, the same week he is due to compete in the 110m hurdles in the Commonwealth Games. He heads to Australia holding the discipline’s fastest time this season, of 13.39. His exceptional performance in Paarl two weeks ago leaves him in very good stead.

Carina Horn: Women’s 100m

Horn has set two of the fastest times this season, in attempting to break the 11-second mark. Clocking up 11.03 and 11.08 in Pretoria, it’s only a matter of time before she breaks the symbolic barrier. Horn will not be at the Commonwealth Games, but she’s gearing up to break more records in the future.

Caster Semenya: Women’s 800m

The golden girl herself is hitting peak form at just the right time. She’ll be heading Down Under having already notched two of the three quickest times in the 800m this season: Both came in sub-two minutes (1:57.80 and 1:58.92).

Caster Semenya: Women’s 1500m

The queen gets two seats at this particular table. She’s dominating both the 800m and 1500m disciplines, recording a time of 4:02:50 in Paarl a fortnight ago. As it stands, there’s no stopping our Caster.

Wenda Nel: Women’s 400m hurdles

Which South Africans could win a medal at the Commonwealth Games 2018?

Aside from the athletes mentioned above, Luvo Manyonga, Rushwal Samaai (both long-jump), Sunette Viljoen (javelin) and the Blitzboks are all a shoo-in for medals. Also look out for some of the sprint talents.

Akani Simbine: Men’s 100m

He’s currently clocking the third best time of the season and sits just four milliseconds behind the leading pace of the year set by Zharnel Hughes of Britain.

Anaso Jobodwana: Men’s 200m

The Mzansi runner is just one of a select bunch who have been able to hold a candle to Clarence Munyai in this discipline. He is currently 0.4 seconds slower than his compatriot but looks like he can mount a decent challenge for a place in the medals.

South African field athletes most likely to win medals:

Ruswahl Samaai: Men’s Long Jump

Three of the four longest jumps this season belong to Samaai, who has only been bettered by Juan Miguel Echevarria of Cuba (8.4 metres). However, the South African has clocked the best distance this season (8.39 metres) for any Commonwealth athlete. The gold is certainly Samaai’s to lose at this point.

Luvo Manyonga: Men’s Long Jump

Manyonga has recorded the ninth-best jump of this season. Seven of the 10 longest jumps belong to South Africans this year, in an event sprinkled with Mzansi magic. Could we see double delight on the podium for our guys, here?